Standing Outside the Fire
by theicemenace
Summary: Ethan Mahoney is looking for a soulmate, and the god of love steps up.
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Prologue**

 **Life is Not Tried, it is Merely Survived**

Ethan Mahoney stood near the entrance to the bar with a bottle of O'Doul's and secretly watched the tall dark-haired man behind the bar. He had an easy-going smile, a great rapport with the customers and didn't _look_ crazy. The bar was busy as usual for a Saturday night, but he made the work look effortless. He mixed drinks, refilled snack bowls, cracked jokes and dispensed advice on life in general and on love in particular whether it was asked for or not.

When Ethan had made the decision to seek out the self-professed god of Love, he'd been determined and eager but lost his nerve as soon as he walked in the door. He turned to look out the window at the lightly falling snow. Sometimes alcohol was referred to as liquid courage, but he was drinking non-alcoholic beer so there was no help from that quarter. He sighed and took a swig from his bottle, jumping when a voice said, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Ethan turned to see Trevor standing next to him, hands in his pockets. "What? Oh, the snow. Yes, it is."

"Unless you've got no one to cuddle with in front of the fire."

"What makes you think I don't have a wife or a girlfriend or that I have a fireplace?"

Trevor gave him a knowing smile as he moved to stand in front of the shorter man. He leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "Come to a bar on date night sans date and you're looking for one of two things: love or someone to do the mattress Mambo with. I'm just guessin' about the fireplace."

Ethan pushed his free hand through his hair and gave Trevor a rueful smile. "You got me there."

"Well, my friend, this is your lucky night because standing before you…" Trevor indicated himself, "…is none other than the god of love, but you can call me Trevor." The man who claimed to be Cupid extended his hand and Ethan took it. "I am ready, willing, and very much able to help you find true love."

"Ethan Mahoney, and _luck_ has nothing to do with me being here tonight, Trevor."

"It doesn't?" Trevor seemed genuinely surprised.

"I've heard stories about you. You've helped others find their soulmates." Ethan shoved one hand into the pocket of his jeans and used the hand holding the bottle to gesture. "I want you to help me find a wife."

 **TBC**


	2. No Scars to Show

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Chapter 1**

 **No Scars to Show**

 **The Next Afternoon**

Ethan seated himself at the bar and waited for Trevor to finish his opening set-up. A man with brown hair came out of the kitchen, and they spoke for a few minutes. "Felix, meet Ethan Mahoney."

"Ethan." The two men shook hands.

"A pleasure, Felix."

Trevor smiled and said, "Ethan has asked me to find him a wife. See? Someone believes I am who I say I am."

Felix sighed loudly and scowled. "It's not that I don't believe you." At Trevor's pointed look he added, "Okay. So I _don't_ believe. Whatever. Just don't let it interfere with work _or_ your appointments with Doctor McCrae." The bar owner went back into the kitchen calling for the cook.

The god of love turned back to Ethan. "As if I would let anything interfere with the time I spend with Claire Bear."

"And she is…?"

"My shrink. We have a strange and wonderful, but mostly strange relationship. I say I'm Cupid, she says I'm not." Trevor leaned both hands on the bar in front of Ethan. "We disagree, but not very agreeably."

Ethan cleared his throat. "Do you take any sort of um…"

"…anti-psychotic meds? No. I've been given several different kinds of meds, but they've never worked." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Probably because I'm not delusional, depressed _or_ paranoid."

Ethan didn't know what to think about that so he ignored it. Whether he believed he was Cupid or not really didn't matter because there was no denying that he was good at matchmaking. Best case, he'd find his soulmate. Worst case, he'd be no worse off than he was now.

"How do we start?" Ethan started tapping nervously on the counter, and forced himself to stop. "You're not going to parade a bunch of women past me and tell me to pick one, are you?"

Trevor seemed to give the idea some thought then shook his head. "Don't work that way." He moved to the other side of the bar to take a few orders then returned. "We'll start at the beginning. Tell me about yourself."

"Architect from Toronto."

"And you came all the way to the Big Apple for a wife?"

Ethan smiled and looked down at his hands toying with his glass of ginger ale. "Pathetic, right?"

Trevor shrugged. "It just shows that you're serious about finding your one true love. What else?"

"Well, let's see. I'm 40, have one brother and two sisters, parents are still married…"

"Not that. I want your back-story, the reason you haven't found your true love, your emotional baggage, scars, whatever."

Ethan scooted around in his seat trying to get comfortable in the tall chair. "The answer to that is simple. I've never looked for her, and now I don't know how to go about finding her."

"Why?"

"I was content with my life the way it was. I don't jump into bed with a different woman every night, and I've only dated one woman at a time however, I did let them know up front that I wasn't in the market for something long-term."

"So you've never had a relationship with a woman that lasted longer than…"

"Six months." Ethan took a long drink of his ginger ale. "But lately, I've been, uh, I suppose restless is as good a word as any."

Trevor wiped down the bar that didn't need cleaning. "Exactly why have you waited so long to try to find Ms. Right?"

"I've met a lot of women socially, dated my fair share, even slept with a few of them. The trouble is I have never felt that _zing_ , that feeling you get when you meet the person you are destined to be with for the rest of your life. Knowing that there's no one waiting at home for me but my cat is getting old."

"And you're looking for someone to make you go _zing_."

"Yeah. That's why I need your help."

Trevor stared at him for a full thirty seconds making him uncomfortable. "Okay. We'll start with the basics. What type of woman are you looking for?"

"Oh, uh…" Ethan thought for a moment. "Smart, funny, sweet, passionate about life, kid or kids are okay."

Trevor listened with a thoughtful expression. "And willing to move to Canada?"

The brown-haired man gave a small laugh. "I have a successful business there so that's kind of a deal breaker." He could see the wheels turning in Trevor's head. "You have an idea."

"Yes, I do. Tell you what. Go do some sightseeing, visit a couple of museums, get a massage, go to a movie, whatever. Just be back here in two days at eight in the evening. I'll have this bar _filled_ with women. Like the song says, just pick the age, the weight, the size."

"Trevor…" he paused "…what exactly do _you_ get out of this?"

Trevor shook his finger in the air. "I get one step closer to becoming immortal again, and returning home to Mount Olympus." His demeanor changed, became more serious. "I kinda miss all the old gang."

 **Two Nights Later**

Tres Equis was filled almost to overflowing, mostly with women. Trevor had a talk with the bouncer and convinced him to only let in a certain type of man aside from Ethan. So yes, there were men in attendance, but the few that were there looked like clones of the cast of a current TV sitcom hit that featured four geeks and a very pretty girl.

Ethan looked around in astonishment at the sea of women. _This is no way to meet women but I'll go along with it for now._ He took a sip from his bottle, pasted on a smile and began to mingle hoping this would work and he'd find what he was looking for.

~~O~~

When the bar reached its capacity according to the fire marshal, the bouncer sent the rest of the crowd on their way so the street in front of the club was mostly deserted. There was a chill in the air indicating that fall was on its way. Vehicles of all types drove back and forth honking, voices calling out in anger, in greeting, or just calling out.

Ethan leaned against the side of the building to the right of the door, shivered then winced as a cab screeched to a stop behind a Cadillac with inches to spare. He just couldn't seem to get used to the dirt and noise that was nothing like home. Toronto had a population of two and a half million people compared to New York's eight point three million. It was also cleaner, much quieter, and the people were kinder for the most part.

He was lost in thought, startled when the door was pushed open. All he could see was long black hair in a braid, a dark brown suede jacket, and slim hips covered in faded blue jeans. The scent of musk came to his nose as he watched her hips sway side to side while her boots clacked on the concrete sidewalk. She came to a stop, shoving her hands in the pockets of her jacket as she made a sound of frustration. " _How_ did I let them talk me into this?"

"I've been asking myself the same thing."

"Oh! I didn't see you there."

"Sorry I frightened you." He pushed off the wall, moved over to her and extended his hand. "Ethan."

She looked at his hand for about five seconds then took it. "Sandy…" Her face was in shadow but he could see a flash of white teeth when she smiled. Taking a step closer to him brought her into the slight glow of neon from the window. He could see that her skin a shade lighter than caramel surrounding dark exotic eyes framed with thick lashes. "…and you didn't frighten me. I was just startled. Thought I was out here alone."

"Me too." His hands slid into the pockets of his jeans. "What brought _you_ here tonight?"

Her New York accent was at odds with her apparent Indian ancestry. Something he found utterly charming. "Friends. They heard it was some sort of special ladies' night, and were hoping I'd meet a guy." She rolled her eyes. "They're all happily hooked up, and for some reason they think I need a boyfriend." Her arms crossed, and she turned to look up into the night sky where only a few stars could be seen.

He gave her a slightly shy smile. "I'm sure your friends only want you to be happy."

"I _am_ happy…sort of." Facing him again Sandy let her arms fall to her sides then, unconsciously, she mirrored his stance, hands in pockets and one hip thrust to the side. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Ethan chuckled softly. "What gave it away? The strange accent? The funny clothes?"

Sandy laughed. "Yeah, sorta. The accent, I mean. You're not dressed that differently from us natives." She indicated his jacket over a long sleeved T-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers.

They laughed together just as Trevor poked his head out the door. "Hey, Prince Charming, this party's for you, so get your tookus back in here." He stood held the door open patiently waiting.

Sandy's eyes narrowed slightly. "Um, what?"

Ethan blushed and waved a hand vaguely. "It's a long, sad, and _very_ weird story. Maybe I'll tell it to you some day."

The woman watched Ethan musingly and preceded him back inside. "I was going to go home, and watch a Lifetime movie with my cat, and eat a pint of Häagen-Dazs, but if you insist…"

"He does!" Trevor followed them in.

~~O~~

Felix moved through the crowd of women toward the stage where a group of three men and two women had set up instruments. He walked to one of the microphones and turned it on. "Hello, everyone, and welcome to Tres Equis!" There was a pause while the patrons responded to his greeting with applause and whistles. "Now ladies and uh, ladies…please give up a big Tres Equis welcome to Lizard Brain!" He dragged the last word out then backed up and slipped off the stage.

A young woman in a short denim skirt, tights, ankle-high boots and a body-hugging drape-neck top in fuchsia and silver stepped forward. The same bright pink was streaked through her shoulder-length brown hair. Her long elaborately painted fingernails reached for the microphone. The drummer tapped four times then she began to sing _Ain't No Mountain High Enough_.

Most of the women got up to dance. Some kept to their seats and cheered on their friends. Off to one side the few men in the room except for Ethan were twitching and jerking out of sync with the music. It was obviously meant to be dancing though it looked more like they were having seizures.

Ethan tried to watch Sandy as she moved through the crowd to her friends. She leaned close, had a few quick words with them then picked up her purse preparing to leave. One of the women, a too-skinny blonde, took Sandy's purse from her, put it back on the table then dragged her out onto the dance floor. The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes, but went along with her friend. The two women began dancing, and after some prodding Sandy finally got into it.

On the far side of the room Ethan drank his O'Doul's with an expression of equal parts frustration and annoyance, most of it aimed at Trevor. He looked up when the cause came to stand in front of him both hands on the counter. "What?"

"Why are you sitting _here_ when the women are on the dance floor? Get up! Dance! Get to know a few of them. The future mother of your children could be here at this very moment." Trevor tapped the counter with his finger to punctuate his point. When Ethan stayed put the god of Love sighed heavily. "How are you gonna _zing_ if you sit here alone the entire night?"

"You're right." Ethan pushed away from the counter, pasted on what he hoped was a smile and headed for the crowd of women. One at a time he stopped to dance for a few seconds with a woman who appeared to meet his personal criteria for a mate. The women were nice enough, but there were no sparks.

The band segued flawlessly from one love song to another. They played an eclectic mix of Classic Rock, '80's, '90's and current hits. By the time Ethan had worked his way to the stage, the female lead had stepped aside and been temporarily replaced by the lead guitarist performing an admirable rendition of _Every Woman in the World_.

To Ethan's dismay the women paired up to slow dance laughing and hamming it up, and he was left standing alone. The female singer jumped off the stage, and asked him to dance. Not too reluctantly he did, swaying side to side. She was pretty and from the few words they exchanged she obviously had a passion for life, seemed intelligent, and funny but there was no…

The song ended and light applause carried over the opening strains to _Bridge Over Troubled Water_. Ethan was tapped on the shoulder. A skinny blonde in the green sweater smiled, and asked him to dance…with her friend. He nodded, turned around and was face to face with the woman he'd met out front on the sidewalk. Green Sweater pushed Sandy forward, she stumbled into Ethan's arms. He held on to her to keep them both from falling.

Her palms were trapped against his chest, and she tilted her head back to keep eye contact. They smiled at each other self-consciously, the look in her eyes was the same as his, a mixture of fear, embarrassment and…hope?

 **TBC**


	3. Within the Flame

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Chapter 2**

 **Within the Flame**

Sandy took a breath. When they'd talked outside his face had been shadowed because of the light from inside and his hand had been a little cold as she knew hers had been. In the brighter lights of the dance floor she could see that he had fair skin, light brown hair and bright green eyes that glimmered with intelligence and humor. A strange, but not unpleasant feeling started in the pit of her stomach. It was similar to yet unlike when you went over the top of the first hill of a very high roller coaster, that split second of weightlessness just before the Earth reasserted its influence on your body, and brought you crashing back into your seat only to do it again and again. Only now, the feeling kept going. From the look in his eyes she imagined that he was experiencing the same sensations, and it flustered her to the point that she tried to push away from him but, the crush of bodies prevented escape.

"Hello again." He smiled ruefully. "Since your friend is so insistent, we should probably dance."

"Um…okay." Sandy relaxed enough to follow his lead and they began moving around the floor. Around her she could see the envious faces of the other women. He was the only guy here, except for Trevor and Felix, who didn't look like a fugitive from a Sci-Fi convention. She silently thanked her friends for forcing her to come tonight.

Ethan's warm breath whispered across her cheek. "So, Sandy, what do you do?"

"Decorator. You?"

"Architect. My firm is negotiating with a decorating firm, a landscaper and a contractor to combine our businesses into an all-in-one company. Using one wouldn't mean they had to use all of them, but we'd naturally provide incentives."

"Sort of one-stop shopping for those who don't want to DIY."

"Something like that. We're also working on creating a curriculum where we teach classes for the serious DIY'ers. There will also be a phone, and online hotline for clients to go to for advice."

Sandy was impressed and told him so. They were really good ideas, and she'd been wanting to be a part of something like that for a while, but couldn't get anyone else interested. _Maybe I can convince him to open a New York branch…_ The dancing continued in silence for another minute or so.

"Uh, Sandy…"

"Yes?"

"Hey, Prince Charming…" Trevor tapped Ethan none too gently on the shoulder, "…how about spreadin' summa the wealth around?"

Ethan looked at him over Sandy's head with irritation. "Pardon?"

The taller man gestured at the women in the room dancing alone or in small groups. "It's time to change partners."

"Oh." He stepped back from Sandy with a just-humor-him shrug then turned to a group of four women dancing together and bowed. "Ladies, may I have this dance?"

~~O~~

Around midnight Ethan decided it was time to go back to the apartment his company kept for business trips to get some rest. He'd danced with nearly every woman in the place, and was dead on his feet. Discouraged, he made his way out the front door of Tres Equis, hailed a cab and tried not to fall asleep in the back seat.

To keep himself awake he ran through the faces of the women he'd met tonight. There had been ladies of all shapes, sizes, ages, hair, and skin colors. The only spark came from the all too brief dance he'd shared with Sandy.

The cab pulled to the curb in front of the apartment house, he paid the driver, and wearily climbed the stairs. Inside, he tossed his jacket on the sofa as he went into the bedroom. He took a shower, and while his laptop booted up, he put on his pajamas, and brushed his teeth.

While he sent emails, and confirmed appointments he thought about Sandy. She had the dark exotic look of India, but was most definitely a native of the States. When she spoke of her family he could tell from her expression that she loved them very much, and was well loved in return. He also wondered how someone like her, beautiful, intelligent, funny, kind, gentle, and passionate could still be single.

He shut down the computer, climbed into bed, and laid there looking up at the ceiling for a while. After an unknown amount of time he finally fell asleep, his dreams rambling and disorganized.

 **The Next Morning**

Ethan shuffled to the door in his pj's and bare feet shouting, "Okay! Okay! I'm _coming!_ " It was barely seven in the morning, and someone was pounding on the door loud enough to wake the dead. At the moment, that was him. He looked through the peephole, sighing in annoyance as he yanked the door open. "Trevor. _Why_ am I not surprised?" He motioned the taller man in. "How can you be up this early?" The automatic coffee maker could be heard burbling in the kitchen, and was spreading an appealing scent throughout the apartment.

Trevor flopped on the sofa, his patented devil-may-care expression firmly in place, and put his feet on the coffee table. "I don't need much sleep. Probably a hold-over from my days as an immortal. But I'm not here to talk about me."

"What a refreshing change. Why _are_ you here at this ungodly hour?" Ethan called from the kitchen. He poured two cups of the hot brew, went back into the front room, and handed one to his guest. "No pun intended."

"To do what you asked me to do. Find _you_ a soulmate." He unfolded a sheet of paper pulled from his back pants pocket.

Ethan yawned and scratched his stubbled chin. "What _is_ that?"

"This…" Trevor flicked it with a finger, "…is _your_ ticket to everlasting love. I have here a list of women from last night who are…" he made finger quotes "…interested."

"How do you know these particular women are…" he mimicked Trevor's motions, tone and accent, "…interested?"

Trevor folded his hands behind his head, and gave his host a self-satisfied grin. "I took a poll."

"What?!"

"After you left and before we closed, I got up on stage, and asked for a show of hands. Felix and Lita helped me get names and phone numbers." He finally noticed the shell-shocked look on Ethan's face. "How did you _think_ it was gonna happen, with a bow and arrow?" He gestured at his mortal body. "No powers, no arrows."

"I'm not exactly sure, but not like _this_." He snatched the paper from where Trevor had laid it on the sofa between them. He wasn't able to put faces to the names on the list because, well, he hadn't asked anyone's name.

Quickly scanning the list, he saw that beside each name was a time. Apparently he was to have five minutes with each woman with five minutes in between to make notes, and a thirty-minute break somewhere in the middle. "What am I supposed to _say_ to them? This isn't _The Bachelor_."

"True. When you get married at the end of this 'show' no one's gonna give you cash, a car and an all-inclusive cruise to the Bahamas." Trevor rolled to his feet. "Your first 'date' is one o'clock this afternoon, in the private dining room of Tres Equis. Be there…" he went to the door, opened it and drew a box in the air, "…or be square." With a salute, he was gone, leaving Ethan sitting there open-mouthed.

~~O~~

Sandy stood in front of her closet with her arms crossed trying to decide what to wear for her five minutes with Ethan. When Trevor had asked for a show of hands on who might be interested enough to go on a date with him she'd raised her hand at her friend's urging. Yes, she liked him, but this was _so_ embarrassing, being set up by a crazy bartender. She'd heard the rumors that Trevor was under the delusion that he was, she rolled her eyes, the god of love. The guy was definitely certifiable, but harmless, also according to the rumors, _and_ her personal observations.

She sighed, and reached into the closet for a dark purple blouse with long sleeves, and black slacks. After she showered and fixed her hair she slipped on two-inch heels, short silver dangle earrings and a matching necklace, her watch and her favorite bracelet with cat designs.

After feeding her cat, and giving him fresh water, she checked her look in the mirror by the front door while slipping her jacket on then grabbed her portfolio, sample case and purse, and was gone.

The cat, a brown and black Maine Coon by the name of Pigasus, pulled his head out of his bowl long enough to confirm that she was indeed gone, and went back to eating. Later, he into the bedroom to curl up on her unmade bed. He stretched, yawned, cleaned his face, and settled down for his post-breakfast, pre-mid-morning security patrol nap. An hour later he rolled onto his back, all four legs splayed wide to show off his enormous belly.

 **Tres Equis**

 **12:50pm**

Trevor escorted Ethan in through the kitchen where the staff was hard at work. Felix was behind the bar in Trevor's place so he could handle the crowd of women waiting to spend a few minutes alone with the Canadian. Though they'd been told not to arrive more than five minutes before their scheduled time, the room was filled to capacity. Some were on the list, and others just came in out of curiosity. Felix should have been angry with Trevor, but he wasn't. The women weren't just sitting, and drinking bottomless cups of coffee. They were ordering food _and_ drinks. In this part of New York not many people drove so eventually they'd need a whole fleet of cabs to take them all home.

There was also the usual crowd who were a bit perturbed that their cozy little lunchtime cantina was overcrowded and noisy. They got over it quickly enough when Felix gave every table a free appetizer. One or two complained that the pool table had been moved to make room for extra tables, but he just drew them another beer, and they shut up.

Trevor brought Ethan a pitcher of unsweetened iced tea as he'd requested. "Oh, before I go…" he reached into his back pocket, and passed the perplexed man a pad, pen and a sheet of stickers in the shape of gold stars, "…you'll need this."

"What are the gold stars for? Never mind. I get it." Ethan took a long drink of tea as if bracing for a coming onslaught. "Okay, I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Send the first one in please."

Trevor grinned hugely. "I _knew_ you'd get behind this eventually." He opened the door to let in a tall slender woman dressed in a dark blue business suit. Her hair was up in an elegant chignon, her make-up flawless. "Carlisle, this is Ethan. Ethan, meet the lovely, and talented Carlisle. She's a biologist with one of the most prestigious medical research firms in the state."

Ethan stood when the woman approached, they shook hands then both took their seats. Once the door had closed the woman looked him straight in the eye and said, "What's your IQ?"

"Pardon?"

"Your IQ. Mine is 192. If both parents have a higher than average intelligence, the chances are very high that the children will have a greatly increased intelligence. I want my progeny to have the best possible chance to make something of themselves therefore, anything less than 190 in the father would be unthinkable. Also, I hope you don't like to play or watch…" her upper lip curled in disgust, "…sports. They're a complete waste of time when there are more cerebral pursuits in which to be engaged." She ended her short speech, and waited impatiently for his response.

Ethan just stared at Carlisle. He couldn't see himself raising kids that studied all the time, that didn't play and have fun. Instead of asking the woman if she was crazy he said, quite truthfully, "Sorry, but I really enjoy a good game of football now and again. Playing _and_ watching. _Canadian_ football."

"You're from _Canada_?" She said, her voice ending in a high squeak just before she shot to her feet and stormed out.

Ethan just smiled. _I was wrong! This is going to be_ _lots_ _of fun!_ he thought just as the next candidate entered, and took a seat across from him.

To his surprise it was the lead singer of Lizard Brain, the band that had played the night before, only now she was dressed a little less flamboyantly in jeans, a close fitting white t-shirt that had a drawing of a man with dreadlocks and sunglasses and said "We be jammin' in Jamaica, mon!" on the front and a white ball cap. The bright pink streaks were gone from her hair leading him to believe they'd been clip-ins.

He smiled at her and said, "Hi. I didn't get a chance to tell you last night how much I enjoyed your singing." She returned his smile and they were off!

 **Much Later**

For Ethan, the fun had ended a long time ago. He was hungry, frustrated and discouraged…not necessarily in that order. Or maybe it was. He couldn't tell any more.

He just shook his head as his most recent "date", a vegan, stormed out. She was obviously quite intelligent, though that didn't matter to him much. She'd also been sweet and funny with no reservations whatsoever about moving to Canada. That's why it startled him when her face paled at the sight of his leather shoes and belt. She'd made a short, impassioned speech about animal rights and the moral implications of animal testing, gave him a selection of flyers and brochures on PETA, and the next thing he knew the door was slamming behind her. He wished he could say that was the first time, but it wasn't.

When Trevor entered, Ethan was knocking his head against the table. "Hey, what's this? You should be on cloud nine, all these women clamoring for your attention." The god of love scratched his chin thoughtfully. "Though it's not really all it's cracked up to be. I mean, cloud nine's really no better than the other eight, just a little higher. Mom and dad used to take me there for picnics."

"Mom and dad? Um…" the architect struggled to remember his Roman mythology, "…Venus and Mars, right?"

"You got it! Though they both got around a bit, if you get my drift." Trevor had a look of pride for his parents despite their mortal-like shortcomings.

The look turned to consternation when Ethan asked with more than a glint of amusement, "So…where's the love of _your_ life, Psyche?"

Just then, the door burst open and an attractive blonde woman entered. By the light in her eyes she was more than a little upset with the resident former immortal. However, Trevor either didn't see it or didn't care because he greeted her with a beaming smile and open arms. On the other hand, _her_ arms were crossed over her chest, the universal signal for "Touch me and you will die slowly and horribly!"

"Claire Bear! Ethan, _this_ is Dr. Claire McRae…" his smile widened even more, "…my shrink."

Claire nodded a curt greeting to Ethan and turned back to Trevor with fire in her eyes. "You missed your appointment… _again_! How many times have I said that you _have_ to make our sessions your top priority or…"

Trevor turned back toward Ethan and, without missing a beat, said, "Isn't she _beautiful_ when she's angry?"

~~O~~

Ethan was saved from answering when Claire made an exasperated growl and spun around, her high heels digging divots into the wooden floor. The door slammed, and a picture on the wall fell, the glass shattering, as she muttered something about delusional pseudo-Roman gods, and ineffective meds that he didn't quite catch. He pushed to his feet and reached for his jacket.

"Heyhey _hey_! Where're you goin'?"

"The vegan, what was her name? Sarah? She was the last one, right?" _Please_ _let her be the last!_

Trevor was shaking his head. He went to the door while Ethan resumed his seat with his head in his hands. "Nope. One more little chick-a-dee is waiting in the wings. Her name's Sajani. That means…"

"…beloved in Hindi." Ethan finished for him, his voice slightly muffled by his hands as he pushed them through his short hair.

"Hmm. Cute, smart, and he dances a _mean_ Foxtrot. Is there anything you _can't_ do?"

Ethan lifted his head and came to his feet. He'd only heard that voice a few times, but he would remember it always. A smile eased onto his lips, and spread to his eyes. "Sandy!"

 **TBC**


	4. Taking the Fall

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Chapter 3**

 **Taking the Fall**

Trevor cupped his hand around one ear, a look of wonder and amazement on his face. "Did you hear _that?_ "

Ethan and Sandy turned to him with puzzled frowns. "What?" they said in unison.

"I just heard something go _zing_!"

The architect blushed, and rubbed a hand over his face when Sandy looked at him again. " _Trevor!_ "

"What? It's obvious that you two spark offa each other in a major way." He put an arm around their shoulders. "That's why I saved her for last." Trevor steered them toward the kitchen. "You better go out the back way. There's a whole gaggle of women out there who're gonna be disappointed. There may even be a riot."

Ethan helped Sandy with her jacket, pulled his own jacket on then guided her with a hand on her back just above the waistband of her slacks. Before he followed her out he flashed Trevor a smile. The back door slammed shut behind him as Trevor stood there, arms crossed and a big smile of satisfaction on his handsome face. "Am I good or what?"

~~O~~

At Ethan's invitation, Sandy chose the restaurant, and they ended up at Uncle Leopold's Mexican Cuisine. Around nine Sandy put an end to their date because she had an appointment the next morning. He was just a little relieved because he also had an appointment with a potential business partner.

They shared a cab, and he got out at her apartment to walk her to the door. "I had a good time tonight."

"So did I. How about dinner Saturday night? My place. We'll watch a movie, and order pizza."

"You got it." He stuck out his hand. "Thank you for being such a good sport about this whole Trevor thing."

She just looked at his hand for a few moments. "He means well. There's just one thing."

Ethan felt his stomach drop, but managed to ask, "Oh?"

"If you think you're getting away with a handshake instead of a good-night kiss…" She put her hands on his shoulders, "…you are sadly mistaken." Tiptoeing, she touched her lips briefly to his, gave him a brilliant smile, and went inside.

Ethan went back to the cab, and climbed into the back giving his address automatically as he buckled the seatbelt.

"Hey, pal, you okay? 'Cause you look like someone just smacked ya upside da head with a two-by-four, knowhatImean?"

Ethan gave the guy a half smile and said, "Someone _did_."

 **Charlie's Grill and Bar**

 **Brunch Time**

A light snow had fallen during the night, but most of it had melted in the morning sun by the time Ethan arrived at the restaurant. He was a little early so he ordered coffee, and told the hostess he'd wait for his guest in the dining room. From his combination briefcase/laptop bag, he pulled out a multipage document. It was a basic contract he'd had drawn up by his attorney as a jumping off point for his company, and the decorating firm he hoped would align themselves with his in the full service residential, and small business remodeling, and repair company. Many of the points could be negotiated though there were a few deal-breakers. And that's what he was here to do, negotiate a deal.

He was just about to ask for more coffee when he saw the hostess leading someone his way. Standing, he extended his hand, and left it in the air when he saw who it was.

His guest took his hand, and smiled. "We _really_ have to stop meeting like this."

~~O~~

Sandy arrived at Charlie's with minutes to spare. She pulled a mirror from her purse to check her hair and make-up. Shoving the mirror into the pocket of her jacket, she stepped up to the hostess stand. "I'm here to meet someone."

"Yes, ma'am. This way please." The hostess led her through the nearly empty dining room to a table in the corner.

When Sandy saw who it was, she shook her head. Ethan stood up, and the look on his face was priceless. He couldn't have looked more shocked if she'd brought a banjo and started singing Bluegrass.

~~O~~

" _You're_ Imari Design Studio?" Ethan finally got out.

"Yes. And you're TCR, Inc."

"Toronto Construction and Remodeling, Inc. with offices in Toronto and New York City."

She ordered coffee then placed her purse, coat and portfolio beside her in the circular booth they shared. "So, eat or talk business first?"

"You're the guest. What's your pleasure?"

Sandy put her hand over mouth to cover a smile. " _That_ is a loaded question if ever I heard one. Food then business?"

"Works for me." Ethan signaled for the server and fell into silence for a few minutes. He watched her add milk and a dash of sweetener to her coffee. Her long slender fingers with short manicured nails stirred the liquid while she looked at the menu. It didn't take her long to decide, something he appreciated.

When the server returned, she ordered a veggie burger and salad. To keep her from being repulsed by his carnivorous eating habits, Ethan ordered the same.

~~O~~

They finished eating, the dishes were cleared, and coffee was served. Dessert was offered, but declined.

Sandy showed Ethan photos of homes, and small businesses she'd decorated or redecorated as well as testimonials from some of her clients. In her portfolio she had drawings, and more photos of interiors she'd assisted on before she went out on her own. On the list of current and former clients was former mayor of Newark, New Jersey, who'd hired her to redecorate his law office, her biggest client to date.

How he felt about her personally was irrelevant at the moment. This was business, and like any good businessman, he easily separated the two. He'd made the decision to offer her the contract five minutes into her sales pitch because he admired her sense of style and eye for color. She could take an ordinary room and turn it into something extraordinary, an expression of the client's personality or hone in on what the client _wants_ rather than what they _say_. It was almost as if she could read their minds.

The thought that she might actually be able to read minds scared him just a little, but he dismissed it as absurd. If she could read minds she'd have slapped his face within minutes of their meeting in front of Tres Equis. She also wouldn't be sitting so close to him that her arm brushed against his every time she turned a page of the contract, sometimes stopping to make a quick note in the margin. He could smell her perfume too. The scent teased his senses, making him think of things like home, family, and growing old together. He could see her years from now, a baby in her arms, humming a lullaby.

Trying not to fidget or peek at what she was writing Ethan took out his BlackBerry to check and respond to emails. The last one was from his VP, a grandiose name for Elsa Blackmore who ran the company in his absence. In larger businesses she would be called an office manager, though she was so much more than that.

Ethan finished the lengthy email, and laid the device aside just now noticing that Sandy was sitting and watching him, one hand on the now closed contract while the other played with her earring.

"What?"

"You had such a look of concentration I didn't want to interrupt."

He touched the BlackBerry. "Sorry. Elsa just had a few questions about a project that…" Now she was looking at him with one eyebrow lifted. "Never mind. So, what's the verdict?"

"Looks good so far. Just a few small points I want to look at closer." She picked up the contract but didn't hand it to him. "I'd like to take it home with me, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. How about we pick this up Saturday? You did say your place, right?"

"Mm-hm. Eight good for you?"

Ethan nodded. He helped her on with her coat then handed her the portfolio with her sketches and drawings. At the register, he handed his card to the cashier while he put his coat on.

Extending her hand, Sandy said, "Thanks for your time today, Ethan. I look forward to doing business with you, and TCR, Inc."

"Same here." He put her in the first cab, waved good-bye then climbed in the second one with a smile. Taking out his phone, he made a call. "Elsa, tell everyone I've found a decorating company here in New York that will suit our needs…Imari Design Studio…no, a background check isn't… I know it's the rules, but they're _my_ rules…okay…yes, I'll be home no later than Monday…no, I didn't forget the gift for your cousin's birthday…okay, bye."

 **Saturday Night**

 **Sandy's Apartment**

Ethan stood in front of Sandy's apartment door, a box from Guido's Pizza Kitchen in one hand. He hadn't announced himself yet though she knew he was coming because she'd buzzed him up. Lifting his hand to knock, he hesitated. He was just a little nervous about tonight. They'd only met a week ago, and he already felt as if he'd known her much longer. And while he was thinking about the possibility of them sleeping together eventually, he also felt that their second date was too soon to take such a step. He was brought out of his racing thoughts by the opening of the door.

Sandy just stood there watching him for a moment with a bemused expression then stepped back so he could enter. She took the pizza and carried it to the bar counter between the living room and the kitchen. "I was wondering how long you were going to stand out there."

"Pardon?"

"Saw you through the peephole."

"Oh, uh…just a little nervous, I guess." There was a moment of awkward fumbling as they kissed hello. He followed her to the kitchen, and watched her get out plates and napkins.

"Yeah, me too. A little anyway." She took two beers from the 'fridge, popped the tops, and handed him one.

The contract was on the dining room table, the stapled corner bent as if she'd read it over and over. He lifted the top page and saw writing on the first page, but wasn't sure if it was in Hindi or she just had atrocious handwriting. Flipping it closed again, he helped her carry their meal to the table, held her chair then seated himself next to her.

Sandy placed the document between them and opened it to the first page. "Okay, let's start at the beginning, and go over this thing one item at a time."

Ethan took a bite of his pizza and a drink of his beer. "You're the boss."

"Actually…" she looked at him from under her thick dark lashes, "…when we're through here, _you'll_ be the boss."

They laughed together and got down to work.

~~O~~

An hour later the pizza was gone, and the beers empty. Coffee was brewing in the kitchen, and Sandy was loading their dishes into the dishwasher.

"Sure you don't want help with that?"

"I got it. There's DVDs or something on cable, if you prefer."

"Sure." Ethan went to the entertainment center, and perused her collection of movie titles. Her tastes were eclectic. He also couldn't help looking around at the décor. It was stylishly decorated as he knew it would be. Earth tones were everywhere with splashes of brighter colors here and there to draw the eye to a painting, a collection of knick-knacks or a group of family photos. A few house plants sat here and there. The furniture, covered in dark brown faux suede with pecan brown and twill pillows looked comfortable and inviting as did the matching armchair.

Pulling out several DVDs, he called out, "Anything in particular you'd like to see?" He listed several that he'd seen and liked or hadn't seen and wanted to.

"You pick." Choosing one at random, Ethan slipped it into the DVD player, and waited for it to cue up. Someone knocked on the door, and she called out, "Would you get the door, please?"

Ethan opened the door to see a man in his thirties of Indian descent. "May I help you?"

The man smiled showing a mouthful of straight white teeth. "Yes. I'm here to see Sajani."

"Is she expecting you?"

"No. It's a surprise. My name is Ranjeet." A gold class ring from MIT was on his right hand. "I'm her fiancé."

 **TBC**


	5. The Slightest Chance

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Chapter 4**

 **The Slightest Chance**

 _Fiancé?!_ Ethan could only stare at the man framed in the doorway. Sandy hadn't actually told him she wasn't seeing anyone when they first met, but had never once mentioned being engaged. Had she been lying or was it a lie of omission? Either way, he wasn't sticking around for the floor show that was sure to commence.

"Sajani?" The visitor inquired again.

Grabbing his coat from the back of the sofa, Ethan quickly slipped it on. "In the kitchen."

"You're leaving?"

Not liking the tone of the man's voice, the Canadian simply nodded as he stepped aside so the other man could enter and he could go. "I've got a, uh, thing in the morning."

Feeling like a fool, Ethan rushed to the elevator, jabbing the button repeatedly willing it to hurry. It wasn't nearly fast enough so he shoved open the door to the stairs, and headed down. Just as he hit the crash bar on the first floor he thought he heard Sandy's voice echoing down the stairwell. He ignored her, and kept going.

Out on the sidewalk he put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Three cabs stopped, and he jumped in the one closest to the curb. He gave his address and the driver pulled into traffic as he buckled the seatbelt. His confused thoughts swirled around and around but always came back to the blaring fact that Sandy had lied to him. Looking out the window he wished it was snowing. It would suit his mood. Suddenly, he didn't want to go home. He rapped on the divider and gave the driver a different address.

~~O~~

"Who's at the door?" Sandy came out into the living room to see a stranger standing by the sofa.

" _I_ was at the door."

"Who are you? Where's Ethan?"

"My name is Ranjeet, and your _friend_ has gone." He gestured at the door.

She had her cell in her hand and had already dialed 911 when she heard the strange male voice. They picked up but she didn't answer, just stared at Ranjeet while the woman's voice spoke urgently in her ear. "Never mind," she told the operator, and hung up. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Ranjeet clasped his hands in front of him. His posture was almost deliberate, as if he'd practiced in the mirror how to stand, and position his hands, feet, shoulders, etc. for the greatest effect, whatever the effect he desired. Now he was being casual, and non-threatening, though that didn't stop Sandy from wanting to slap the smugness off his face.

Her hand was clenched around her cell phone making her fingers ache. She slowly uncurled them, and laid the phone aside. Turning her back on him was calculated to let him know she didn't feel threatened. She went into the kitchen to pour herself a cup of coffee more for something to do than because she wanted it, but didn't offer her unwanted guest anything. "What are you doing here? I told my parents I wouldn't be party to an arranged marriage."

He shrugged. "Your mother thought you'd change your mind if we spoke in person. We've both changed quite a bit since we were children."

Sandy laughed dryly. "No kidding. I'm no longer that adoring little girl who followed you everywhere." Leaning on the counter, her arms crossed, she waited for him to say something but he just watched her. "Why now?"

Ranjeet shrugged again and again it looked purposeful. "My career is going well, and I'm at a time in my life that I feel it's time to settle down, start a family."

"A _family_? I'm not ready to have _children!_ " She'd kept a tight rein on her temper, at least until now. Her anger reached out to him. "My career is just taking off. This is _not_ a good time for me to have a baby." A chuckle reached her, and she almost growled in frustration.

"Your parents said you would say that, but I assured them that you would soon change your mind."

"Oh?" Sandy was more than a little skeptical.

"Yes. I can be…" he stepped close to her, well within her comfort zone, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her unnerved by it. He took a lock of her hair between two fingers, "…very persuasive."

She was just barely able to keep from laughing in his face then remembered Ethan had left, and pushed him out of the way. "Get out!" Running into the hall, she heard rapid footsteps on the stairs. When she shoved open the door, she heard the one on the first floor closing. "Ethan!" He either didn't hear her or pretended he hadn't.

Stomping back to her apartment she found Ranjeet still in evidence. Not only that, he'd made himself comfortable on her sofa, the one she'd hoped to share with Ethan tonight so they could hold hands during the movie. "I told you to _get out_." Scooping up her cell again, her thumb poised over the redial. "Now _go_ before I call the cops."

Ranjeet laughed. "This is New York City. It'll take the police _days_ to get here."

"Don't be so sure about that." Instead of redial, Sandy scrolled her contact list. "The guy across the hall is on the SWAT team and his wife is a homicide detective. Now, which one do you suppose is home at…" turning her wrist over, she checked the time, "…midnight?"

By the time she looked up again, Ranjeet was on his way out. "Okay. I'm going." He reached into his inside jacket pocket and withdrew a gold card case. Extracting a single card, he laid it on the table to the right of the door. "My cell, home and office numbers. Call me when you're ready to be reasonable."

 _Don't count on it!_

Sandy couldn't hear his footsteps on the hall carpeting, but the ding of the elevator signaled that he really had gone. She resisted throwing her phone at the wall, laying it carefully on the counter instead. Opening the freezer, she took out an unopened pint of Haagen-Dazs Dark Chocolate Mint ice cream. Using the spoon from her coffee cup to pry out a scoop of the cold treat, she stuck it in her mouth, and sucked on it. When it was gone, she repeated the process twice more then covered the container, and returned it to its icy tomb.

She went out and flopped on the sofa, automatically picking up the remote, and turning the television on to see what movie Ethan had chosen. A smile turned up the corners of her mouth when she saw the title, _Arsenic and Old Lace_ , her all-time favorite. They'd only met a few days ago, but he knew her, the her that loved veggie pizza, cold beer, and black and white movies. And she knew him though she didn't know how either could be possible. It was like the sun rising in the east, and Charlie Sheen in trouble with the police. It just _was._

 **Tres Equis**

Trevor was facing away from the front door when Ethan entered, and slid onto a stool. "Yo, barkeep!" He managed a passable imitation of a New York accent. " _Tempest Bebende!_ Scotch on the rocks. Hold the rocks."

" _Sic transit gloria mundi._ " The god of love responded automatically as he turned around, a frown on his handsome face. It was not an expression he had much use for, and looked out of place. "Ethan, my man, you don't drink the hard stuff. What gives?" He looked around but the Canadian was alone. "And where's your new squeeze?"

"What gives is I finally found that one person who…well, you know, and she's got…"

"What? What has she got?"

"A fiancé."

Having turned away to freshen drinks on the other three sides of the square that was his work area, Trevor came back to stand in front of Ethan, leaning on his hands. "Fiancé? The skinny I got said she was single."

Ethan just shrugged. "How about that drink?"

Trevor was shaking his head as he popped open an O'Doul's. "Know what happens when you have a drink because you feel sorry for yourself? That first drink gets lonely, and starts feeling sorry for itself too, so you have a second one to keep it company then they start having fun so they take turns buying the rounds, and before you know it, it's a party with drinks all around." The bottle came down firmly on the counter.

Without picking it up, Ethan asked irritably, "Whatever happened to 'the customer is always right'?"

"The customer _is_ always right…except when he's wrong. And you, my melancholy friend, are just brimming over with wrong-ibility." A towel appeared in Trevor's hand. He used it to wipe down the counter though he'd just done it less than five minutes before. "There's no _way_ I'm lettin' you get soused then pourin' you in a cab, and trustin' one o' those guys to get you home in one piece."

"You could drive me yourself."

Trevor shook his head. "Sorry. No wheels, and I only have a license to drive a chariot. In case you haven't noticed, the Big Apple is tragically chariot-free."

"Pity…" Ethan muttered into the bottle as he brought it to his lips, "…I'd throw myself under one."

~~O~~

Sandy sat on the sofa looking at her phone display. It was a photo of Ethan that she'd taken at lunch the other day in an unguarded moment, and was now using as his contact photo. He was smiling as he used his BlackBerry to send an email, probably to his assistant, Elsa.

A decision made. She hit dial, but it went straight to voice mail. "Ethan, call me. I…just call me, please." A sound out in the hall caught her attention, and she rush to the door. "Hey, Dwight."

"Sajani." He always called her by her given name. "What's going on?"

"Nothing now. Catch any bad guys today?"

Dwight, still in his SWAT uniform, had his key in the door. "A few. Didn't even need a negotiator for the last one."

"Great." Sandy looked at him hopefully. "Could I ask a favor?"

"Sure."

"Um…" she chewed her lower lip nervously, "…I need you to get me an address. One I can't get from Google."

Dwight was a burly African-American man with a straight back, and a gold wedding ring on his left hand. He used that left hand to gesture her into his apartment. "No prob. Step into my office."

 **The Next Morning**

 **Ethan's Apartment**

The smell of coffee tickled Ethan's nose yanking his brain into the land of the conscious, kicking and screaming. Pulling the covers up over his head, he tried to ignore the tempting scent, but it was impossible. His feet hit the floor. With a sigh, he pushed to his feet, and shuffled out to the kitchen to get the coffee, mostly out of self-defense.

His eye caught a sheaf of papers lying on the coffee table, and he could see both his and Sandy's writing on the top page. They'd gone over the contract with a fine tooth comb, and had worked out a compromise they could both live with. He'd planned on taking it to his attorney when he got home to have it updated then come back to complete the process.

 _Probably won't happen now._ With a groan, he got up from the sofa and went to change his clothes and pack. He decided to go home today instead of waiting until Monday. It would cost him to change his plane reservation, but he didn't want to be here when Trevor came by.

 _Knock! Knock! Knock!_

 _There he is!_ Ethan had his pants, socks, shoes and long-sleeved T-shirt on but hadn't yet put on the heavy sweater he would need when he returned to Toronto. Yanking the door open without checking, he said crossly, "I'm _not_ in the mood for you today, Trevor."

"Um…Not Trevor." Sandy pointed at herself with a hint of amusement. The smile faded when he didn't return it.

Leaving the door open so she would know it didn't matter to him if she stayed or left, he went back to the bedroom to finish dressing and packing.

~~O~~

Ethan had just pulled the sweater down to his waist, and was opening the bathroom door when she came to stand just outside the bedroom. Her decorator's mind took in the utilitarian furnishings, and plain bed coverings, thinking that they looked nothing like the occupant. Instead of the tan, and gray she'd have chosen slightly brighter shades of regalia, pumpkin, and forest green with touches of venetian red, and alizarin crimson.

She shook her head to bring her attention back to the matter at hand as he came out of the bathroom. That's when she noticed the luggage to the right of the bed. "I thought you weren't leaving 'till Monday."

"Changed my mind." Ethan extended the handle of the rolling suitcase and slung the two duffle bags over his shoulder. "Why are you here?" He waited for her to move out of the way, which she did reluctantly then followed him to the front door where he dropped the bags.

"I'm here to explain." She finally stopped following him as he went room to room making sure everything was turned off. "That wasn't what it looked like. I know it sounds like a cliché, but it's true. I had no idea he was coming, didn't even know he was in town. My parents gave him my address without asking _or_ telling me." Ethan came back to the living room carrying a plastic trash bag keeping his eyes averted, and not responding. "Will you _please_ stand still so we can talk?"

With an angry snort, he did as she requested, standing in front of her with his arms crossed, and an expression of impatience. "Okay. You first." Sandy hesitated. "You said it wasn't what it looked like. So, what was it?"

"It's hard to explain. You want the, uh…"

"Cole's Notes?"

"Yeah, you want that or the whole megillah?"

Now Ethan did look at her trying not to smile. "Megillah? Really?"

She cast her eyes downward sheepishly. "We had Jewish neighbors when I was a kid. Picked up a few Yiddish words and phrases here and there. Not to mention a fondness for Kugel."

"Huh." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "Short version for now."

"Okay. Here goes." With a deep sigh, she said, "Short answer is, yes, Ranjeet _is_ my fiancé."

The mild humor that had started to return slipped away at her confession. "You might have _said_ something. I felt like an idiot!" She started to speak again, interrupted by the door buzzer. "That's my cab. If you still want to be a part of TCR, you're welcome, but I don't think the rest is going to work out. I'll have the contract redrawn just in case."

With that he ushered her out the door, locked it, and went to the elevator. As he entered, he cast a quick glance in her direction but she was looking at the floor, both arms wrapped around her stomach as if she were about to be sick. It nearly killed him to leave, but he wouldn't get between two people who were engaged, no matter how he felt about her.

~~O~~

After walking for who knew how long, Sandy got in a cab, and shortly thereafter found herself at Tres Equis. She stood just inside the front door but Trevor wasn't in his usual spot. Climbing up on a chair, she waited for the young dark-haired woman to notice her.

"Afternoon. What can I get you?"

Sandy thought about that but, decided not to say something flip. "What I want, you can't get me so how about a Coke?" The cold drink appeared in front of her. She took a long sip, and carefully returned the glass to the exact center of the coaster.

~~O~~

"Getcha something to eat? Potato skins, burger, Philly steak and cheese, salad? We got some hot wings that'll knock your socks off. Cook makes the sauce himself." Lita asked. The woman in front of her looked so sad she wished she could do something to cheer her up. She just wasn't as good at it as Trevor was. "Pardon me for sayin' this, but you look like you just got dumped."

Shaking her head, Sandy made a sound that could have been a laugh or not. Lita couldn't tell. "That's because I _was_. It's my own fault really." She looked up at the other woman. "I should've mentioned that I had, well, sort of a fiancé."

"Um, how do you 'sort of' have a fiancé?"

"Long story. Why don't we wait for Trevor so I only have to tell it once?" The front door opened and closed, a chilly draft hitting the back of Sandy's neck.

"Trevor is here." The god of love shed his coat and scarf, hanging them on the coat rack to the left of the front door while an attractive blonde did the same. "Sandy, this is Claire McCrae, my shrink. Claire, Sandy is here to tell me why she, and the man of her dreams, the man who makes her go _zing_ are not together."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Were you together long?" Claire seated herself next to Sandy.

Sandy shrugged. "It seemed like forever, but it was only a few days."

Claire huffed and took a drink of the iced tea Lita set before her. "This is one of Trevor's set-ups, isn't it?"

The Indian woman shrugged again. "You might say that, though I met Ethan the first time without Trevor's intervention."

"Oh, so you and this Ethan fellow met on your own." Claire glanced at Trevor, but he ignored her. "What happened?"

Sandy told her tale to a rapt audience of Trevor, Claire, Lita and Cook, who'd come out to personally deliver a basket of hot wings. She hadn't ordered them, but picked one up, and took a bite. They were even better than Lita had described, but she didn't let it distract her from her story. When she finally stopped talking, Claire looked down at the counter then up into her eyes.

"So it's an arranged marriage."

"Yeah. Ranjeet's parents invested money in my parent's restaurant. Instead of interest on their investment, they wanted a wife for their only son so, as the oldest girl, I was elected." After swiping it through the ranch dressing, she bit angrily into another wing. "I have told my parents repeatedly that I wouldn't go through with it, but they refuse to listen. As the eldest child, I am expected to set the example for my younger siblings. Marry, have children, grandchildren, and be happy with the life _they_ planned for me. This should have happened five years ago. That's why they're so adamant about it now. According to them, I am fast approaching my 'sell-by' date."

"Your parents just want you to be happy." Claire put in.

"No, they want me to be married, and have children before I'm too old. At least in their eyes. That's not what they said, of course, but that's what they meant."

Claire opened her mouth to speak again, but Trevor, who'd been listening without speaking, put a hand up to stop her. "Let the expert handle this, Claire Bear."

He had a sneaky glint to his eyes that Claire had seen on too many occasions since they'd first met. Her suspicions, as always, were confirmed.

"Sandy, am I correct in assuming that your parents have already planned the engagement party? Good. Here's what I want you to do. First, contact this Ranjeet, and tell him it's on. Then do _not_ write or email Ethan. _Call_ , and invite him to the party."

"Um…"

He held his hand up again. "If I'm right, and I usually am, he'll politely decline. After all, he _is_ Canadian, but he'll come anyway. Won't be able to resist."

"Maybe I'm missing something here, but how is my getting formally engaged to another man supposed to get Ethan and me together?"

"Pfft. Simple." Trevor shrugged as if it were obvious. "He'll see you up there with Ranjeet about to slip a ring on your finger, and be so jealous he'll stop the ceremony, _and_ declare his love in front of the world. Or at least your little corner of it."

 **TBC**


	6. Walking a Wire

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Chapter 5**

 **Walking a Wire**

 **The Next Night**

Sandy could feel the arrogance coming off of Ranjeet through the closed door. It made her skin crawl that she'd have to pretend to want to be with him. Her mind was made up though. When Ethan saw her and Ranjeet exchanging rings at the engagement ceremony, he had to believe she was doing it of her own free will, and was happy about it.

Ranjeet entered, and sat on the sofa when invited. Relaxing back, he looked over the room as if he were afraid he would catch something. She wasn't the best housekeeper in the world, but it was clean enough for her.

"I asked you here for one reason, Ranjeet. To make my parents happy." She'd taken the armchair because she didn't want to be close to him, at least not yet.

"If you think my own motives are altruistic, you're sadly mistaken. I'm only going through with this farce because my position within the firm where I work is in jeopardy. There are rumors that my superiors have been considering me for a promotion, but are hesitant because of my single status. An antediluvian way of thinking, of course, but not one I'm in a position to challenge at this point."

"So the only reason you're here is because you want a _promotion_?" He nodded, took a set of folded papers from his inside jacket pocket and passed them to her. "What's this?"

"It's a contract. Read it. The essence is, while we are married, you will have your life, and I will have mine. We will play the happily married couple only when in the presence of our families, and my business associates. There will be separate bedrooms except when family visits or we're ready to have children. No more than two, one girl and one boy.

"I am also proposing that we have sex with each other no more than once a month, which is negotiable in either direction, unless we are attempting to have a child. Once the children are in middle school, we will quietly go our separate ways. Any intimate relationships we have with others are to be kept very discreet."

Sandy laid the papers aside without reading them. It wasn't necessary to know the exact contents because they wouldn't really be getting engaged much less married. He grated on her nerves, her fingers twitching with the effort _not_ to slap him silly for the things he was advocating. But she refused to give in to her baser instincts. "You seem to have thought of everything."

She was proud of how calm and understanding she sounded.

"Indeed I have. At this moment, my attorney is in the process of drawing up a pre-nuptial agreement that will likewise be private from our families." He crossed one leg over the other. "And I will call you Sajani instead of that ridiculous nickname."

The scorn in his voice made her grit her teeth. "That's fine. As long as my attorney can look things over first." _As soon as I get one._

Sandy stood, and went to the window, pulling back the curtain. Snow was again falling lightly though there was almost no wind. The pools of illumination under the street lights made you think the entire city might be a fairyland, but she knew different. In the morning, it would begin to melt, and turn to slush, dirty and repugnant, like his suggestions. She didn't have any choice, but to go along with it.

"I would expect nothing less." He came to stand behind her, placing his hands on her upper arms, giving them what was meant to be an affectionate squeeze. She stiffened at his touch, and turned her head when he tried to kiss her. With an exasperated sigh, he let his hands fall. "We will have to get used to touching each other without flinching, if we're to make this believable."

What could she say? He was right. At least for now. She faced him with a smile she hoped looked genuine. It must have worked because he smiled back. Her hands came up to rest on his shoulders, and his on her waist. Tilting her head up, their lips touched for the first, and if she had her way, only time. Though she found his lips dry and rough, she pulled him closer, and deepened the kiss. Doing so caused him to tighten his hold on her, his hands skimming up her back. _Yick! He kisses like he's chewing gum,_ she thought. _And definitely no zing!_

~~O~~

Outside in the snow, unseen by the two in the second floor apartment, a figure wrapped in a dark coat, hat and scarf against the chill watched from below. When Sandy and Ranjeet seemed to fall into a passionate embrace, the figure gasped, but didn't leave. It was like watching all your dreams just fall apart, and there wasn't a thing you could do to stop it. You want to look away, but you can't.

When the couple moved away from the window, the figure turned, and hailed a cab.

 **The Next Day**

Trevor looked around the bar, seeing only three customers nursing beers in the corner by the jukebox. He glanced over his shoulder. Felix was in the kitchen talking to Cook, so he picked up the phone, dialing a number written on a napkin. It was answered by a female on the second ring. "Namaste. _M_ _erā nām_ Trevor." The conversation continued in flawless Hindi for nearly ten minutes. "Namaste, _mummiji_." He hung up the phone just as Felix came out of the kitchen, and two groups of five walked in the front.

"What's up with the goofy grin, Trev?" Felix asked.

The god of love shrugged. "Just doin' a little matchmaking. Tryin' to get that next bead."

"Yeah, well, just remember the paying customers come first."

Trevor pointed a finger at Felix, and winked. "You got it."

 **Friday Night**

Trevor was just putting the finishing touches on drink orders for one of the servers when the front door opened, and closed. He turned to greet the newcomer, watching as the coat, hat, scarf and gloves were removed. The woman revealed was on the short side, just barely five feet, with red hair, vivid green eyes, and freckles. Outwardly, she appeared to be in her teens, but had just celebrated her thirtieth birthday. She saw him watching her, and hesitated before climbing up on a chair.

"What can I get ya, sweetheart?"

"Midnight Snowstorm." She placed her purse on the counter, and waited for him to demand to see her ID then ask what the hell she was talking about. But Trevor did neither.

A mug appeared in one hand while the other unerringly grabbed a bottle of white Crème de Menthe without looking, and poured exactly two ounces. Hot chocolate was added as he stirred. The mixture was topped off with fresh whipped cream, and garnished with green Crème de Menthe. A clean spoon was placed in the saucer, and the masterpiece set in front of her with a flourish.

She looked at it then up to let her eyes meet his. "You haven't even asked for my ID yet."

Trevor rested one hand on the edge of the counter, waving the other through the air. "You were born October 12, 1980. You're a Scorpio. I have an uncanny ability to know these things."

"But I've never _not_ been carded in a bar or restaurant when I've ordered alcohol. This is too weird." Her accent was strictly New York, and well-educated.

One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "I get that a lot. Trevor. God of love." His hand came across the bar and nearly engulfed her much smaller one.

"Abigale Doyle. Dazed and confused."

Now he made a full-on grin. "Get _that_ a lot, too. So, Abigale Doyle, what can I do for you aside from…" he gestured at the drink she was cautiously taking a sip of.

"Um, I've heard about you from friends. I need your help…" Abby stuck a finger in the fluffy cream then sucked it off her finger before continuing, "…to stop a wedding."

 **Saturday**

 **Late Morning**

In his room above Tres Equis, Trevor took a piece of paper from his pocket, and picked up the phone. "Hey, there. Name's Trevor, and I'm a friend of Ethan's from New York…Yes, ma'am…I kinda need to leave him a message…Of course…the message is 'your soulmate and the future mother of your children is gonna marry someone else if you don't get your Canadian tookus to the Hotel Continental by eight tonight'." He waited while the person on the other end took down the message. "Thanks. What's your name, sweetheart? Elsa? Beautiful name. Hebrew for 'God's promise'. Tell me, Elsa, are you married? You're _not_? You wanna be? Oh. Okay, well, gimme a call if you change your mind. I'll be at Tres Equis in New York City, at least till I get that hundredth bead. Oh, and if you come across anyone who's lookin' for true love, give 'em my number."

The god of love hung up the phone with deep internal, and external satisfaction. Glancing over at the string of beads hanging from the ceiling, he sighed, rolling his eyes up to the heavens, and beyond to his distant home. "Ya shoulda known you wouldn't get rid of me that easily. I'll be back on Mount Olympus before you can say ' _Mellita, domi adsum_!'"

 **Hotel** **Continental**

 **7:37pm**

The cab pulled up to the curb, and Ethan stepped out. Inside he checked his coat then followed the signs to the ballroom reserved for the Srivastava/Patel engagement party. He was in a suit and tie, his anxiety carefully hidden. The message Trevor left had sent him running for the airport. He'd been at one of the sites going over the plans for the second floor of the building they were remodeling. It had been dirty and dusty, sawdust everywhere, but thanks to Elsa, he'd arrived in New York in plenty of time to shower and change.

Hotel employees guarded the ballroom door, only letting in people whose names were on the list. When he got near, he noticed a young woman off to one side sniffling, a tear-soaked tissue in one hand. After a quick check of the time and a sigh, he went over and handed her his handkerchief. She looked up at him without taking it watching as a corner of his mouth quirked upward. "Is it _really_ worth crying about?"

Shrugging, she took the offering, wiped the moisture from her cheeks, sniffed, and handed it back. "The man I love is marrying someone else. I wanted to talk to him before the party, but they won't let me in because I'm not on the list."

"Ranjeet?" Ethan sat next to her, and lifted her sad face to his with two fingers under her chin. "I'm here to talk to Sandy, uh, Sajani." He stuck out his right hand. "Ethan Mahoney."

"Abigale Doyle. Ranjeet and I work together. We sit next to each other, and talk all the time. I even thought maybe he…but the other day he suddenly announced that he was engaged, and getting married next spring."

Ethan, very good at making quick decisions, took Abby by the hand. "Come on."

"Really?" Her pretty face brightened.

"Yeah." With highly feigned pomposity, he added, "I can get you in. _I'm_ on the list."

Abby let him keep hold of her hand as they went to the entrance. They were admitted, and came to a stumbling halt just inside the room. Instead of the traditional Indian engagement trappings they'd expected, the room was decorated as if they were an American couple. Steamers, flowers, white tablecloths, and a DJ in the corner playing a blend of rock, jazz, hip hop, and alternative music.

At the front of the room Ethan could see Sandy sitting to the right of the podium with her parents, sister and brother. Ranjeet was on the left with an older couple, and they did _not_ look happy. He spied a table in the middle near the front that had two empty seats, and headed in that direction still holding Abby's hand. They sat down just as a server came by to pour water, and take drink orders. He ordered tea because he wanted to keep a clear head tonight. Apparently Abby had the same thoughts because she ordered tea as well.

They were too late to speak to the Sandy and Ranjeet, so they just watched, and waited for an opportunity to present itself. They didn't discuss what either of them planned on doing to stop this, both playing it by ear.

~~O~~

Sandy watched Ethan and a petite redhead make their way through the room, her heart sinking when she saw them holding hands. Glancing around, she looked for Trevor, spotting him off to one side. He caught her eye, and flashed her a thumbs up. She in turn scowled at him, flicking her eyes in Ethan's direction. Trevor followed her gaze, but all he did was shrug as if it didn't matter, and go back to smiling, and rocking gleefully on his toes.

~~O~~

Ranjeet and his parents just sat at their table not talking. When the server came around he ordered a scotch rocks shocking his parents who disapproved of the consumption of alcohol in any form. He shot them a glare and took a sip. Out in the sea of people, about fifty, milling around, talking and laughing, he saw the man who'd been at Sandy's apartment the night he arrived, and damned if that wasn't Abby with him.

He and Abby had been sharing adjacent desks at the brokerage firm for over a year. He found her smart, funny, kind, gentle, and loving, especially toward her sister's three boys. But most of all she was strong-willed, and had a fiery temper to go with the red hair. She challenged him on many levels, making him rethink most of his assumptions about the world, and life in general. He'd been surprised at how much he enjoyed her company outside of the job. More than once they'd gone to dinner together after working late, and ended up talking for hours about, well, everything.

Shaking thoughts of Abby away, he tried to pay attention when it was time for the speeches. He knew his parents hadn't prepared anything as this was not the party that had originally been planned. Sandy's family had made changes at the last minute without consulting or informing anyone else. In fact, the only portion of the traditional engagement ceremony that had remained was the exchange of rings.

Letting his mind wander, he prayed it would all be over soon, yet knowing the nightmare was just beginning.

~~O~~

Dinner was over, the speeches had been made, and Ethan was getting a little antsy. When Sandy called to invite him, he'd been hoping she would put a stop to the proceedings, but she just sat there not looking at him though she had to have known he would come.

He jerked back to the here and now to see Ranjeet and Sandy standing close together. He was already slipping a ring on her finger. So shocked was he that he'd let it get this far he didn't do or say anything until she began to place a ring on Ranjeet's hand.

"STOP!"

 **TBC**


	7. Deep in My Soul

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Chapter 6**

 **Deep in My Soul**

Trevor was still in his spot off to one side watching, and waiting, and getting more, and more anxious that this would not come off as planned. _Come_ _on_ _, Ethan. Don't make me do this myself. It has to be_ _you_ _!_

If anything, he was more nervous than Ethan, Sandy, Ranjeet or Abby. This wasn't just an engagement dinner. This was one step closer to going home.

~~O~~

"STOP!" Ethan and Abby shouted at the same time. He glanced to his right where she was now standing next to him. She looked up at him, and they gave each other an ironic grin before facing the startled faces of Ranjeet and Sandy's family and friends.

Ethan continued alone. "Uh, I mean _please_ stop." He kept his eyes on the couple waiting for a response, but they just stared though they did stop what they were doing. Sandy's fingers were still holding the ring she would have placed on Ranjeet's finger.

Ethan made his way quickly to the front of the room and stood directly in front of Sandy. He flicked his eyes to the side, and was surprised to see relief in the other man's face. _What the hell?_ Turning his full attention to the woman who was now watching him with expectation, anticipation, and more than a little hope, he gathered his thoughts. "Sandy, we haven't known each other long but, in my heart I know we belong together. We, you and I, we just…fit. We're Dagwood and Blondie, Fred and Wilma, Marge and Homer." Taking her by the hand, he turned her to face him. The ring she'd been holding fell to the floor, and rolled under a table. " _You_ are what my soul has been searching for. What we have is real. It will endure. _We_ will endure."

He held his breath waiting for Sandy's response, as was the rest of the room. She looked at him then down at the ring on her hand. As if in slow motion, she twisted the circle of metal off, and handed it to Ranjeet. "Sorry. Got a better offer."

Ethan extended his hand to take hers, but instead, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, the room erupting in applause. Pulling away, she whispered, "I'm _so_ glad you didn't say Brad and Angelina."

~~O~~

Encouraged by the response Ethan received, Abby rounded the table, a full head of Irish steam under her belt. "Ranjeet, I kept hoping you'd see how much I cared for you, but it didn't happen. When I heard you were engaged, I thought I'd lost you, but then I realized that you had no way of knowing how I felt so I came here to tell you. I have been in love with you for months, and need to know if there's even the _slightest_ chance that you feel the same." She waited for him to respond, but he just watched her with wide, unblinking eyes. He stared so long she began to lose her nerve, all her hopes dissolving. "I-I guess that's my answer. I'll just…" She turned to go back to the table, dejection stiffening her back, her head held proudly erect.

~~O~~

Sandy took her time slipping the ring on Ranjeet's finger. She'd waited and waited for Ethan to do something, _anything_ to stop this, and was about to do so herself when he _finally_ acted. What he said wasn't exactly an admission of love everlasting, but it was close enough for her. Drawing him into a tight embrace, she kissed him like he was hot chocolate on a cold winter's day, with lots and lots of whipped cream.

~~O~~

It was how she was dressed more than anything that caught Ranjeet's attention. The Abby _he_ knew usually wore business suits in dull colors that gave nothing away of her figure. Her hair was always up in a bun or casual twist.

 _This_ Abby was wearing a sleek and simple knit dress ending three inches above her knees that made her green eyes glow like emeralds. It was complimented by a wide black belt that showed off her small waist, and black three-inch ankle boots that made her appear taller than her five feet. The thin white gold chain, and white diamond pendant around her neck reflected the bright lights over the tables as did the matching dangles in her ears. And her hair, well that was the biggest surprise of all. He knew it to be bright red in color, but he didn't know it was almost to her waist, and slightly curly. She looked young but now, with it down, she looked even younger.

She confessed to having loved him for some time, making him think about his own feelings. When they were together, they laughed, they argued, they got serious, but most of all, they challenged each other.

He didn't respond immediately, couldn't, because his brain had locked up. She waited for him to speak, and when he didn't, she returned to the table, and picked up her purse. He nearly laughed when he saw she was carrying that silly Tinkerbell purse she loved so much because it was a gift from her niece.

Ranjeet looked over his shoulder at his parents. They were watching the events with wide eyes, his mother with one hand over her mouth. Since the death of his older brother from leukemia at the age of seventeen, Ranjeet had been the good son, the one who followed the rules, and was destined to carry on the family name, and traditions. He'd done it for almost twenty years, but he couldn't do it anymore. All that time he'd been doing what was best for his parents, what _they_ wanted him to do. Now he had to do what was best for _him._ He gave his parents a small shrug, and turned to see Abby, still with that same proud lift of her chin, as she turned away, and walk resolutely toward the exit.

"Sorry I lied," was thrown over his shoulder as he followed the petite redhead.

"Abby! Don't go!" She ignored him, and kept walking, forcing him to chase her. He caught up with her near the exit, said a few words that no one could hear then, after a short pause, he hugged her close.

The room had gotten quiet again, but was now filled with the sounds of approval from all corners, except for his parents. They'd come around eventually, he was certain, once they realized that he wouldn't back down on this, or anything else ever again.

~~O~~

Ethan looked over at Trevor, the two men shared a nod then Cupid turned and walked away, a huge grin all over his handsome face. Checking the time, he hurried from the room out to the parking lot, and jumped into a red Mini Cooper that Cook had been kind enough to let him use. Signaling left at the exit, he turned onto the main drag that ran in front of the hotel, headed for Tres Equis, and his shift behind the bar. "Twenty and twenty-one, down. Only seventy-nine more to go."

~~O~~

Sandy kept hold of Ethan's hand as she led him over to meet her parents. "Mom, Dad, this is Ethan Mahoney. He's an architect and contractor from Toronto with an office here in New York. He's also my soulmate."

They shook hands. "Sorry I ruined the party."

Her dad waved away his apology. "Don't be. _We're_ not."

"On the contrary, we are quite relieved. The Patels are stuffy, humorless, and _way_ too caught up in custom and ritual." Her mother was beaming.

"Yes, but what else would you expect from a near-sighted gynecologist from Mumbai?" Dad laughed hard at his own joke, the others hiding grins.

"We're in the U.S. This is our home now. Time to make new traditions." When the server came around, he took a bottle of champagne from the young man's hands, and poured them all a glass. "To Ethan and Sajani, I mean _Sandy_. May your life together be all that you've dreamt of, and more."

Looking down into her face, Ethan knew that's exactly how it would be. He put his arm around their daughter, and kissed her temple. "It already is, sir."

 **Tres Equis**

 **Karaoke Time**

 **One Week Later**

Ethan and Sandy entered Tres Equis and took seats at the bar. Lizard Brain was playing a moderately successful love song from the eighties. Trevor had his back to them as he fulfilled drink orders on the far side. Somehow he knew they were there because he thumped two bottles of beer on the counter, popped the caps off, and set one in front of each of them.

"So, how's the happy couple?"

"If you're talking about us, _we_ are fantastic, and immensely grateful for everything you did." Sandy answered while Ethan took a drink. "If you're talking about Ranjeet and Abby, we have no idea. Haven't seen them since the big engagement party fail."

Trevor snorted. "We gonna be hearing wedding bells soon?" He smiled at the sheepish looks they exchanged as Sandy extended her left hand. It wasn't the biggest diamond on Earth, but it was perfect for her. He took her hand, and gave the ring a quick once-over. "Cartier, platinum, princess-cut, approximately 1.5 carats."

"How…"

The god of love shrugged. "It's a gift…and a curse. Especially when you know a guy has gotten the ring on the cheap. Do you tell the blushing bride-to-be or keep it to yourself?" He picked up a towel, using it wipe down the counter. It was a rhetorical question. "Hope you brought your karaoke voices tonight. I signed you up to do a number while Lizard Brain's on a break."

"Great!" Sandy turned to Ethan. "Let's do it. I'll sing loud so no one can hear you."

"Are you saying I'm a bad singer?" Ethan feigned a horrified expression. "Have you _heard_ me in the shower?"

The dark-haired woman snorted as only a true New Yorker can. "Yeah, this morning. Pigasus hid under the bed, and wouldn't come out. Not even for breakfast, and it's his favorite meal. Well, right after midmorning snack, lunch, midafternoon snack, dinner and bedtime treat."

~~O~~

"We're Lizard Brain, and we'll be back soon so eat, drink, sing some karaoke, and don't forget to tip your waitresses, and bartenders. They're workin' hard to keep you happy."

Sandy took Ethan by the hand, and dragged him to the stage while Felix set up the system. It didn't take much. Just turn it on, adjust the screens, hand out the microphones, and cue up a song. By the time the couple reached the stage, it was ready. Trevor had told them what song they should sing. They conferred on who would sing what lyrics, and moments later the intro to _Standing Outside the Fire_ by Garth Brooks was heard. The audience applauded as they took center stage, dancing around trying to outdo each other, and hamming it up.

Ethan:

 _We call them cool  
Those hearts that have no scars to show  
The ones that never do let go  
And risk the tables being turned_

Sandy:

 _We call them fools  
Who have to dance within the flame  
Who chance the sorrow and the shame  
That always come with getting burned_

Together:

 _But you got to be tough when consumed by desire  
'Cause it's not enough just to stand outside the fire  
_

Sandy:

 _We call them strong  
Those who can face this world alone  
Who seem to get by on their own  
Those who will never take the fall  
_

Ethan:

 _We call them weak  
Who are unable to resist  
The slightest chance love might exist  
And for that forsake it all  
_

Together:

 _They're so hell bent on giving, walking a wire  
Convinced it's not living if you stand outside the fire  
_  
Chorus together:

 _Standing outside the fire  
Standing outside the fire  
Life is not tried it is merely survived  
If you're standing outside the fire_

Ethan:

 _There's this love that is burning  
Deep in my soul  
_

Sandy:

 _Constantly yearning to get out of control  
_

Together:

 _Wanting to fly higher and higher  
I can't abide standing outside the fire…_

As they repeated the chorus, Trevor watched, congratulating himself on a job well-done. A large group of people entered focusing his attention elsewhere for the time being.

When the song ended, the audience applauded as Ethan and Sandy came together in the middle of the stage. Her arms went around his neck while his held her waist as they kissed to whistles and cheers.

 **TBC**


	8. Epilogue

**A/N:** This was originally written for my friend, AtomDancer. Just reposting it.

Enjoy.

Nameste,

Sunny

 **Cupid**

 **Outside the Fire**

 **Epilogue**

 **Wanting to Fly Higher and Higher**

Trevor lay on his bed staring at the beads with dismay. Number twenty had joined the other nineteen on the far side. However, twenty-one had stubbornly stayed put. It annoyed the _hell_ out of the god of love.

"This is _so_ not fair. I not only got Ethan and Sandy together, but I should get credit for Ranjeet and Abby, too. What gives?"

As always, the voices of his family and friends from Mount Olympus were silent. Sometimes he thought he could hear derisive laughter. Most of it seemed to come from Ceres who thought sowing and reaping a much nobler pursuit than helping people fall in love.

"Ha! I'll show you. That twenty-first bead will be mine or my name ain't Cupid. And we all know it is."

~~O~~

Abby stood and came around the table as Ranjeet got to his feet. She'd ordered Chinese for dinner, his favorite, and he'd brought New York cheesecake for dessert, _her_ favorite.

Dinner was done and she didn't know what would happen next for them. Since the party, they'd spent every evening together, but the most he'd done is held her hand. Not once had he kissed her. She was annoyed and expectant at the same time, waiting for him to make a move that would let her know that he really did care about her. Sure, he'd done that just by stopping her from leaving, but she wanted more, _needed_ more. Something, anything that would take away this Christmas Eve feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She led the way to the sofa just as she had every night for almost a week where they'd sit and watch television or a movie. Tonight, however, instead of sitting beside her, he drew her into his arms, whispered in her ear then kissed her like she'd never been kissed before. It took her breath away, both his words and his actions, making her so happy she could barely stand. She also knew he didn't want to take things too fast when it came to being intimate, but was surprised enough to yelp when he laid her on the soft cushions of the sofa and followed her down.

~~O~~

Still lying on his bed staring at the string of beads, Trevor shot to a sitting position when the one on the end oh, so slowly slid over to join the other twenty. With great satisfaction, he rolled over on his side, switched out the light, and went to sleep.

 **The End**


End file.
